Home or: Something Stronger Than Tea
by Tess 4 5
Summary: The Emerald series - After that gorgeous New Year's Eve party the two detectives return to London and start to manage a shared private life around work. There are colleagues who need not know and one colleague whom they actually owe to tell. Apart from other things a partnership comes along with. Starting with a summary "What happened so far."
1. What happened so far

**Author's usual notes and disclaimer:** I don't own any of the original characters nor the original Inspector Lynley Mysteries – they belong to Elizabeth George and the BBC. I have borrowed the characters from the TV-Show and solely own the ideas of _my_ stories and the developments _I've_ let them go through.

Please write a PM if I did something terribly wrong. Thanks!

Please read and review! More thanks!

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 **Author's notes:** When I was cleaning up (LOL, yes, I've had the same idea!) I found those notes again and put them into some sort of order, then worked them out, though some stayed the small scenes they had been when they first had popped into my head so some of the chapters are a bit short.

 _ **Emerald** _ had started in December 2013 with my story **Merry Christmas*** , the following were **Siblings or You Owe Me A Story - Dessert* - Green Gem - A Trip Around Cornwall - Refuge* - St Ives, Strolling About - Bathtub* - St Ives, Shopping Tour - The Pillow (Intermezzo In M-Dur)* - The Lizard And The Ladybird* - Trip To Howenstow - Butterflies*** , and it ended with the long **Emerald Fireworks**. The latter in particular is a story you might want to read before going on here. * Stories marked with this are M-rated.

Some of you may be irritated but in these stories I'm talking about _Thomas_ (mostly) and not _Tommy_ and Barbara is addressing him that way. First it was just a try (actually it _is_ his name) but of course I had to stick with it when I've continued the story. There's also an explanation in one of the stories (" _Maybe it's because I don't want to call him like Helen did._ she thought. "Maybe because _Tommy_ is a little boy, and _Thomas_ is a grown man." she lopsidedly grinned.") so I keep it here.

The first chapter here is nothing but a little summary if you don't want to read all of the previous stories first, some of them are... ***** Mmmm... 'hidden' anyway ;-) Before I had continued this I actually have read them again and, well, if I may say so - I think it was worth it. At least for me, seeing how I have written when I started on FF and how that had changed...

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 **What happened so far  
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It had been December. DI Tommy Lynley and his Sergeant Barbara Havers had been in the middle of an exhaustingly frustrating case and after a few dead end roads and zig zag ways they had found themselves picking up an argument that had started the previous evening. Loudly they had continued in his personal office until he had stopped and out of the blue declared that he loved her. They finally had kissed but unfortunately a week frustratingly full of work had followed and nothing but a few hot kisses had happened before he had invited her to Howenstow for Christmas.

There, avoiding the mistletoes and pretending to still be nothing but the DI and his DS the entire first evening with the family, they more or less had revealed their secret quite unceremoniously. They had been too distracted and passionately involved to close the door to his bedroom before they had made love for the first time. They had had witnesses.

Later his mother with her open agreeableness and his siblings with their gentle teasing and friendly bickering had made her feel totally at ease with her newly discovered love for the Earl of Asherton and with his family. The Earl himself had made clear that she was something special to him when he had given her a necklet with a small but meaningful green gem before they joined the others at an opulent dinner with close family and dear friends.

The next day, because she had not wanted to attend Daze's Boxing Day party, Barbara and Tommy had driven the scenic route to St Ives where they had spent a few days alone, frequently making love inside of their refuge, enjoying each other and working out things, talking about their love, their past, their present and their future. They had spent some happy days only briefly interrupted by his sister bringing some paperwork for Tommy and dragging Barbara away on a shopping tour. The two women had went through the full program with dresses, shoes, lingerie and other little things and they also had payed a visit to a stylist. To her own surprise and due to Judith's enthusiasm Barbara really had enjoyed it and it had made her look forward to the New Year's Eve party at Howenstow when she would wear her new dress and surprise Tommy.

After reluctantly returning at his manor they had attended another wonderful evening with the family during which Tommy had played piano and later the two had indulged in a wonderful butterfly-accompanied night before the party. The last day then they had passed the time with their own exercises and distraction - Tommy on his horse, Barbara on a little run - and after equally separated preparations they had met again in full evening dress for the following dreamlike ball. It had been a gorgeous event with some less easy scenes but mostly in a blurring happy mood and finally Barbara had managed to say the three words Tommy so desperately had wanted to hear from her while the world outside the house was illuminated in emerald fireworks.

The new year had begun. A new story had started.

* * *

 _They shared a long lasting slow and seducingly tender kiss._

 _When they tried to regain some breath Thomas pulled her body even closer and lifted her off her feet grinning broadly._

 _"It won't be easy but the next year will be absolutely fantastic, Barbara. You're with me, I'm with you..."_

 _Twirled around in the air Barbara let herself joyfully be kissed._

* * *

 _"Yah! 'n' don' think you'll get rid o'me soon." she smiled under his lips. "A brand new year, a brand new chapter... Mmmmmh, Tommmm!"_

 _"No - a brand new_ story _this will be."_

 _"I am_ so _looking forward to it."_

 _"So am I."_

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 **Author's note:** The story continues in the next chapter.


	2. Returning

**Home** _or_ **Something stronger than tea**

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 **Author's notes:** The Emerald series continue! Finally!

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 **Summary:** The Emerald series - After that gorgeous New Year's Eve party the two detectives return to London and start to manage a shared private life around work. There are colleagues who need not know and one colleague whom they actually owe to tell. Apart from other things a partnership comes along with.

Enjoy it!

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 **Returning  
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After the gorgeous New Year's Party when Barbara finally had told him those three little words he so desperately had wanted to hear from her they had an extremely lazy first day of the year. They had made love for about two voluptuously long hours somewhere around noon after Tommy had brought a breakfast tray into his bedroom and later the family lounged about and dozed in the glass house. Except for Daze who was bustling around the house everybody was too tired to do something serious. In order to be fresh the next day Thomas and Barbara went to bed early but spent another hour or so with talking about their return to London.

They had agreed once more on keeping their relationship a secret for a while to test the grounds, to hopefully have some solved cases to present when they would tell Hillier. Of course they did not want to be separated and solved cases would be good arguments that they still function as a team. It would also be a test for themselves. The two weeks in December after his declaration had been wasted with an extremely difficult case and no real private time and afterwards when Tommy had invited her to Howenstow it was some kind of fairy tale world he had dragged her to. The Cornish Dream would end on the next day and Barbara was anxious about how they would deal with everyday life.

On Friday the 2nd of January Tommy and Barbara finally returned to London. Wordy and with many hugs Daze had said good bye to her son and his love and invited them to come around the next spare time they would be having. A few hours in his car followed, in which they both mostly had been silent but had exchanged many loving and reassuring looks. When the journey had been close to its end and they were almost there they stopped at a food truck and worked out where they would spend the weekend.

It cost Tommy a huge amount of reassuring words, soft pleading looks and soothing touches before he had convinced Barbara to stay with him during those two days.

"She's not present anymore." He finally whispered into her ear when they hugged. Barbara knew what he meant and loved him even more for understanding one of her deepest concerns. "And on my nightstand is a photo of _you_."

Which it was in fact, like Barbara had learned five minutes after arriving at his house. The picture had been shot by a reporter during the Fenner case in Cornwall when Barbara had had a week of relaxation around there which was clearly visible in it. She did not waste another thought at it though when she fell onto the mattress of his huge soft bed. They filled the first few pages of their new story with love.

When they showed up at New Scotland Yard on the next Monday morning Barbara had not yet dropped by at her own flat. The Earl's butler Denton still had had a few days off so they had spent the weekend alone in his house and most of the time they had stayed in bed or, barely dressed, on his luxury sofa, eating delivered food or plundering his fridge. They had been making love and talking more about their relationship. They even had flicked through some of his photo albums. Sunday evening she finally had packed her stuff and so now her bags were waiting in the boot of his car. Monday evening she finally would return to her own home.

* * *

They arrived together at the office but of course nobody questioned that. Winston had not even seen it for he had come to his desk a few moments later. Barbara was just about to whisper a naughty reply to Tommy's frivol suggestion to vanish in his office when the DC greeted them with his usual happy voice.

"Barb! You're back! Finally someone with a brain to help me with the files!" Then he nodded towards his DI. "Sir. Happy New Year, both of you."

"Happy New Year, Winnie!"

"Happy New Year, Constable. I hope you've had a peaceful shift the recent days?"

"Can't complain, Sir." A broad grin appeared on his face. "We've been stuffed with Christmas sweets all day long 'n' were treated with a small party. 'n' nobody tried to disturb all that with deceasin', or at least not in our department. How was't in Cornwall?"

Lynley's eyes briefly flicked across at Barbara before he answered. "Wonderful, thank you. Apart from the usual family obligations I've been driving around a bit. Letting my eyes and mind slow down in my beautiful home country. Checking if all the points of interest are still where they belong." He winked at Nkata.

"Ah, yeah, the famous Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty."

Barbara, who was chuffling through the files that had landed on her desk in her absence, had to chuckle at that. When they had driven from Howenstow to St Ives that had been exactly what Thomas had said all the time.

His Lordship could remember that drive very well too and grinned. "Exactly."

"So you've been to Land's End, I s'pose?"

"Oh, yes, and I've been to Lizard Point too." Lynley said with a broad grin and a suggestively raised eyebrow towards his Sergeant who was hiding behind one of those files she had found on her desk. They were both thinking of the situations when he had discovered her tattoos. "And probably to every other beautiful spot."

That remark finally made Barbara blush to the bone. With the most innocent face he was able to show Tommy asked "See you at lunchtime, Havers?"

"Hm." she nodded feigning distraction by the file she pretended to read.

* * *

When the DI was off and out of earshot Winston pushed that file down onto her desk with his index finger and grinned.

"Now for you, little Miss Sunshine..."

"What?!" Barbara chuckled a bit nervous.

"You've spent those days away from London?" he inquired.

"U-hu." She dipped her nose deep into her tea mug to hide a smile.

"With friends 'n' you were ridin'?!"

Barbara remembered a few times with Thomas but she also remembered that day when she was riding on a horseback and Winnie had called her for the second time during those away days. He had suspected that the voice he had heard was that of his boss. Well, he had suspected right but Barbara had not confirmed it then.

"Well, actually I only was led around."

"So you've learned to love the rural life in the end, haven't you?" Winnie laughed but kept a close eye on Barbara. They talked briefly about her away days but she was able to keep it abstract and did not let the whole truth slip her tongue.

"You may keep't to yourself, Barb, but I can see how you're beamin'. You're radiatin' a happiness that I haven't seen in you ever. I know it had somethin' to do with a man!"

There was no need and no possible way to deny that. Barbara leant over her desk into the Constable's direction and grinned smugly. "Oh, yes, of course, Winnie. And he is a dream. A perfectly wonderful dream."

"And you've got this from him, right?" He pointed at the little green gem she wore over a dark polo-neck jumper. Barbara's hand darted at her chest letting her fingers cover the jewellery. Finally her face was crimson. Winston did not need another answer.

"Congratulations, Barb. I wish you all the best." Grinning he raised his tea cup and still tried to tickle it out of her. "To you 'n' your _Mr Anonymous_."

"Winnie, I won't give you details. Done and dusted!"

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	3. Sweeties

**Author's notes:** Yes, they do have to cool down a bit, but it is a difficult task. Well, they had wanted to involve Winnie anyway, so a bit more 'banter' would do no harm, would it? ;-)

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 **Sweeties  
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The rest of the day went by in a typical slow office rush. Barbara and Winston had spent it with dull paperwork only interrupted by Thomas taking her out for lunch where they could have acted a bit more private since he had driven to some far away place where none of their colleagues would usually show up. It was nothing unusual for the two so Winston did not care much. In the afternoon however Tommy openly offered her a lift home and Winnie cheekily grinned about it but Barbara just rolled her eyes at him. She knew he suspected something but as long as they kept it to themselves he would not really _know_ , she hoped.

All the way to her flat Thomas tried to convince her not to stay there but to return with him to his house but Barbara insisted on having to pay a visit to her deserted flat, having some alone time, cleaning, making the laundry...

" _Alone_ , Sir." She had a hard time resisting his begging soft brown eyes and the warm and tender hand that had found its way under her coat. They stood at the still open boot of his car and Barbara already had shouldered her bag.

"Denton could-"

"No Denton for me, Sir."

"And you don't Sir me! He _really_ could-"

"No, Thomas, I'm doin' my laundry on my own." She hesitantly placed her hand on his arm and gave him a tender and apologetic smile. "And I need a little time in my usual surroundings. A bit of normality, my own world. I have to think a bit about... about this dream world you've taken me to. The holidays are over. _Ultimately_. And I want to come to terms with what had happened in the previous weeks. I simply need to _think_. Get my mind in order. Without any distraction."

"You won't... I mean, you still..." He sounded so insecure that Barbara sensed she was not the only one with turmoiling feelings. Her voice went softer.

"Yes, of course, Thomas, I still... love you... 'n' I... I don't intend to change my opinion on that."

"I'm glad to hear that." His mumbling lips already were on hers and they shared another long goodnight kiss before Thomas reluctantly and with a dramatical sigh let her go.

"Do I pick you up in the morning?"

"I'll take the bus."

Thomas groaned in frustration because Barbara would not give in. "See you at the office then, Sweetie."

After another quick kiss he abruptly turned and closed the car boot with a hefty BANG. Any second longer and he would have asked if he was allowed to share _her_ bed tonight.

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It had turned out to be a torturous evening. Barbara had gone grocery shopping while her washing machine rotated and when she had hung out her new things bought in St Ives she had spent many different thoughts on the last three weeks. It really had been wonderful and she feared how their still budding relationship would be harmed during everyday life on the job. And her thoughts slipped to almost each and every single moment of lust and love they had had in Cornwall. Later she had called him and Thomas had answered at the first single ringing as if he had been waiting for it. Which he had been in fact. After they had talked a bit they ended the call with sweet and wordy goodnight wishes but before they finally slept their mobiles ran hot with messages until at about twelve when, lying in her own suddenly too huge bed, Barbara asked to continue their conversation on the next morning.

[ Under protest. Sleep well. Tom XXX ]

[ Protest noticed. Good night. B XXX ]

[ Sweetie! Dream of me? ]

[ Of course. Now shut up! ]

[ Hmph :-( ]

[ Feel silenced with a kiss! ]

[ :-) ]

With her mobile under her pillow Barbara finally fell asleep with the knowledge that in another bed in London laid a man who obviously was happily in love with her. It was a mutual feeling.

* * *

She was a little late the next day but nobody cared since they still only had paperwork to be done and no new case on their agenda. Both had been working silently on their files for a while when Winston looked up from his desk and eyed her suspiciously. He suddenly had noticed that she had not yet left her desk for a fag outside. "You've quit smokin'?"

Barbara jerked. Her head shot up and she gave him a quizzical look. It was only in that moment when she realised that she did exactly that. She had not smoked for days. She even had not smoked yesterday when she finally had been alone in her flat. She simply had stopped. Without thinking and without having planned to stop.

"Obviously I have." She sheepishly smiled at Winston quite not believing it herself.

"Hey, that's good, Barb!" he was delighted for her. "Your Mr Anonymous has some good influence on your health, hasn't he?"

"Obviously he has." Now she blushed and grinning dipped her nose back into her papers.

Of course Winston poked fun on her the rest of the morning. When it came to lunchtime Tommy stepped into their area of the open space office and witnessed how Barbara just had given a sharp remark.

"Lunch anybody?" The Inspector asked but both declined and waved their lunchboxes. Of course Thomas was a bit disappointed that he could not invite his love but that probably would become a part of their future office time. At least for as long as they would keep their relationship a secret. Frowning he made his way down to the staff restaurant on the second floor. When he came back he stopped by for a few words with Nkata and Havers and a playful banter arose between the three. Winston also dared to mention that Barbara obviously had spent the previous days away from London and "...with a mysterious man she would not talk about but who had been able to break her of smoking."

He recognised a short twitch in his boss' face and that his eyes briefly narrowed. _Jealous?_ Nkata thought suppressing his sardonic smile. _Serves you right. Life punishes those who delay..._ Then he thought there was something different so he looked a second time and a bit closer but the Inspector's face had turned normal again. _Gosh, I'm fantasisin'...  
_

"Really?" Thomas asked. "Is that so?"

"Mh, funny, isn't it, Sir?" Barbara answered ironically. "But I've got a private life apart from work."

"Glad to hear, Havers." Turning his back towards the Constable Thomas winked.

" 'n' a bustlin' life too, so it seems." Nkata added.

"Well, it seems I have to ask my day planner when I want to spend some time with one of you." Barbara laughed. "No more spontaneous pints after work."

"What a pity."

Barbara was in fact so relaxed that she even playfully flirted with both men. When she finally had swallowed down the last bite of her sandwich with a big gulp from her coffee she fetched a banana from out of her bag. At first Winston did not notice it at all but then he observed how she slowly and thoughtfully peeled it open during their conversation. The first bite was a simple bite but then even if none of the two men was directly adressed Winston had to swallow. Barbara topped her flirt with eating that banana in the naughtiest way as was possible to still look decent. Of course it still was only with a hidden salacity and could still be called as only in the observer's smutty mind but the brief look she gave her boss were undecently deep and openly suggestive. The very next moment though her expression already had turned normal again and she said something about the dull paperwork with a full mouth. Apparently Thomas did not hear it at all. He was entirely knocked out of his stride so he only swallowed, blushed and feebly excused himself into his office.

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Nkata's eyes followed him and when the door was closed he turned to Barbara with a smirk. "Now, that was bold, Barb. You know what? You're a bitch! You definitely had him by the balls."

"Oh, yes, I had." Barbara said with dreamy eyes and a slightly smug grin. Then she realised what she just had said and that she was staring into space. Quickly she diverted her eyes to some files on her desk.

She peeped onto a text message on her mobile.

[ If u go on like that we reveal it faster than u blink ]

 _Oh, hell, he's right. Get a grip, Barb._ She pretended to read that file in front of her.

[ U naughty woman :-D ] Nonetheless a small smile crept into her face.

[ I like that! ] Barbara blushed.

Since Nkata did not yet know the whole truth he interpreted her dreamy look as caused by an idle wish. _Untouchable fruits..._ he thought. _Or she was_ in actual fact _in Cornwall with him._ Then he laughed. _Nah, probably not. They would not be able to hide- well, and what was that with the banana?!_ He looked at Barbara and chuckled. "Now you're blushin', Sweetie."

That was a mistake. Suddenly Barbara was very serious. "Never ever again call me Sweetie, Winston. _You_ are _not_ the one who is allowed to call me so."

Still not aware of the truth but seeing her twitching lips and feeling he was close to it Nkata smiled invitingly. Unaffected by her sharp words he poked deeper. "Who's it then, Barb?"

"I won't tell _you_ , you impertinent bloke!" Barbara's eyes flicked to the closed door to Thomas' office. She already was starting to grin again. Now Nkata had to laugh out loud. She may have found a man to spend her nights with but the crush on her DI obviously still was present. _Or they are one step further..._ Time to test her.

"I bet, the Inspector is allowed."

"Stop it, Winnie." Her mug landed so forcefully on her desk that she spilled some coffee over the files. "Oh, bloody..."

"What about that bloke you've met for Christmas holidays? I believe-"

"Oh, shut up, you cheeky muppet! I'm not goin' to-"

Thankfully PC Jones interrupted them with the information that they probably had a new case. "Oy, you two, stop fightin'! Better prepare to be called to a scene." he said while walking past them and heading to Lynley's office.

 _That was close. Time to behave.  
_

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 **Author's note:** Yes, I know, a bit... saucy. I had thought about discarding that banana scene but then decided to keep it for the sake of old ideas ;-)


	4. Keys

**Author's notes:** I'd like to give a mild warning about the description of the body in their new case.

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 **Keys  
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Two weeks went by after that banana incident and Thomas and Barbara had quickly succeeded in only appearing as Lynley and Havers in the office. Nkata had dismissed most of his first thoughts on their behaviour as wrong and all three were up to their eyeballs in that new case. A male body had appeared at the banks of the Thames, fettered with a chain that was closed with a big old lock. The key to that lock hung on a smaller chain around his neck, unreachable for his cuffed hands, and had been stuffed into his throat. Some wounds indicated something sexually distasteful. A few incidents in London looked like they were linked to his death and the check of the CCTV footage busied a few police officers.

In their new role as detective officers who were secretly linked in private Lynley and Havers also had managed to fight about two suspects. It had started at her desk and ended in his personal office. Loudly they had been involving the whole office outside until it had become silent when suddenly they had stopped arguing.

"I love you." he had stated with a disarming smile.

Barbara's eyes had narrowed. "I know that. Don't sidetrack, Thomas."

Unperturbed by her answer Thomas had grinned and got up from his chair. "But I needed to say that."

Finally Barbara also had started to smile about the well known situation and she had not objected at all when he had bent down to her, had placed his hands on the armrests of her chair and tentatively had kissed her. Growing in passion quickly a knock on the door had ended the kiss. It had been answered with both sharply saying "What?!"

Winston, who had put his head through the half opened door, only had asked if they would lunchbreak together.

"No!" both had said in equal unison, but now in an appropriate distance to each other. Of course their dispute had not been solved with that kiss and Winston had felt the sizzling tension in the room but he had misinterpreted it as only the silence before the next storm. He had been so wrong. He still had needed to learn so much. As a start it would be advised to listen to his instincts about his two colleagues. The little signs of affection were not just those of two close friends anymore and the text messages she recieved frequently always let her mobile buzz when the DI was not in the same room. Winston could have noticed that.

But all in all it was a nasty and difficult case they had on their plate so Thomas and Barbara might have a shared private life now, with a lot of love, a lot of lovemaking and much happiness, but at the office they had that awful murder in their heads. At least most of the time they had everything but themselves to think about when they were at the Yard. After they had found a second body drowned to death in the same way the idea to be caught by Winston while they would be filthily snogging had been dismissed in a silent agreement anyway.

* * *

Their private case instead, that is to say a part of it, was solved with splitted time in her flat or in his house. Quickly a set of her personal stuff had moved in with him as well as suddenly a shaving kit had appeared in her bathroom and one day Barbara had struggled with a happy hickup in her heart when she had discovered one of his boxers in her laundry.

Of course it was unnecessary to keep her knickers separated from his but somehow Barbara had not really dared to have her things be done by his butler. Finding his shorts she had decided to change that.

Up until then she meticulously had taken care that all her underwear will go home again with her, which had resulted in one or the other day when she had to hide a small overnight bag under her desk. The most unbelievable thing about all that was that nobody at work discovered their little secret and not even suspected something. After the banana incident, which had been worked out later that night (and it had become very fruity), they had started to behave like Inspector and Sergeant again. Even sneaky Winston had stopped asking Barbara about Christmas and New Year and he also stopped observing his boss. He had to concentrate on the case anyway, as well as Barbara and Thomas who finally had been professional enough to keep their private life out of work.

Small steps led to some kind of normality between the two in London. He had made a habit of preparing a coffee for her in the mornings and she always made a buttered toast with marmalade for him while he shaved. Eventually Barbara also had made a spare key to her flat for Thomas. This next step had been overdue. She only had to give it to him now.

* * *

They sat at dinner in a nice little restaurant of her choice and had kept a comfortable silence. Barbara's jeans pocket was literally burning and her mind was racing. She had that key in there and now was thinking about how she could give it to Thomas without it being- _yes, being what? Awkward? Too straightforward? Oh, bloody..._

They were in a wonderful relationship, it was not that she asked him to move in with her (would be absurd to be constantly living in such a small flat when he could afford, and actually _had_ , a much bigger house), she even was thinking about how it would be moving in _with him_ , she realised. That thought would be stalled for now but finally Barbara took a heart, fetched the key and unceremoniously shoved it across the table next to Tommy's wine glass.

"I thought it would be easier." she said munching on a crispy chip, avoiding his eyes. "I mean, we're not constantly returnin' at the same time 'n' you could leave for work earlier - or later - or go shoppin' alone. 'n' when you're away I don't need to stay at home waitin' for you to come back with my keys."

She went on rambling about the fortunes of two keys instead of one shared and totally missed how his face had lit up in an instant after recognising what it was that now laid next to his glass. Unnoticed by Barbara Thomas' hand slid into the pocket of his jacket and he placed a closed fist next to her hand on the table.

"Barbara?!" Finally he made her stop talking.

Though her strained voice and her constant talking bespoke her nervousness she had tried to sound casual but now she even tried to look unaffected when she raised her face. Which did not come off well either. "Hm?"

Thomas opened his fist and pushed the keys against her hand. "I've already let them be copied on Tuesday after we had returned to London."

Barbara blushed a little but smiled nonetheless in return to his lopsided grin. There was a little metal London Tower at the key ring he had given her. Plus the door key, one for the basement entrance and a tiny key made of pink anodised metal.

* * *

"I was thinking about giving it to you almost every time you were at my house." Thomas said low. "I only was so afraid of making you feel uncomfortable, feel awkward or cornered or making you feel obliged to return the favour."

He smiled tenderly and let her keys glide into his jacket pocket. Hers was just the front door key and a snap hook in the form of hand cuffs. He would snap it at his keys later.

"But now that you've given me yours there's no more need to hold back mine."

Carefully Barbara touched his keys with her fingertips. Exchanging them had been so easy and still it was such a big gesture. She swallowed and told herself that it was normal, maybe not at that early stage but then again, they were in some sort of close relationship for years, so why not?! A grin crept across her face when she picked the keys up and let the tower dangle from her hooked finger.

"Are we a bit suggestive, Mr Big Ben?"

"You know, actually it's called the Clock Tower and Big Ben only is the name of-"

"I know _that_ , Tom." Her voice was hoarse when she cut him short and still caressed the keyfob. Then she held out the tiny pink one. "What's that?"

"The key to my heart." He was barely audible when he said that. Their eyes locked and both smiled. A tear was on the verge of dropping down her cheek. _How could this man be so cute to her?!_ With her lips she formed the words 'I love you!'

"I love you too." he whispered. "Shall we hit home?"

"Which one?"

"Actually, I don't care."

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 **Author's note:** Yes, I know, the Clock Tower nowadays is called Elizabeth Tower but it had been named so only in 2012 ;-)


	5. Something Stronger Than Tea

**Author's notes:** Thanks for all your reviews so far! Those of you who were expecting a change of the rating - sorry. I have too less time for writing such scenes. Maybe later on I will add some "Intermezzos in M-Dur" but not at the moment ;-) We silently move on to the next day...

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 **Something stronger than tea**

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* * *

In the afternoon of the next day the three detectives were knocked over from exhaustion. Behind them laid a long day of hard theoretical work. Victims had had to be connected, suspects eliminated or their interviews reviewed, witnesses had had to be checked, CCTV footages linked, and so on, and so forth. Yawn... Lynley, Havers and Nkata had spent the entire day in the DI's office behind the screen, over files and at the tape player and when it was indicated to say aloud that it was time to go home the work had not yet come to an end. They always seemed so close to some solution when more questions arose.

Winston sat at the monitor and had turned his back onto the other two who were absentminded playing footsie under his desk, Barbara sitting on one side with a file, Thomas on the other with some still pictures from the CCTV. She rather would stretch on his sofa and let him massage her calves than sit here reading dull interviews. Or let him do something like he had done yesterday night. She moaned in annoyance that she had to be _here_ and threw the file she just had read for the third time without seeing more than just letters onto his desk. Thomas and Winnie looked up from their respective tasks seeing her letting her head fall back with closed eyes.

"I can't bear this room anymore." Thomas grumbled letting his magnifier follow Barbara's file. He had not really watched the close-up pictures for the last three minutes or so. His mind already had returned home and was peeling clothes from Barbara's tired body. Of course slower than he had done yesterday after their dinner. Distinctively slower. He would have preferred to be sitting in the bathtub with her, rather than here in his office. "But we're not yet through with it."

"It's past six, Sir." Winnie interjected. "Shouldn't we go home 'n' start fresh in the mornin'? I can't think straight anymore and really could do with a break."

Barbara stroked her belly. " 'n' I need to eat something. I suggest we have some takeaway 'n' continue for another couple of hours. Time's not on our side 'n' I know we're close."

Lynley agreed with his Sergeant and nodded. "Yah. But seriously - I need a little more space and a bit more comfortableness. I thought of, well, using my spacious living room. What do you think? Barbara? Winston?"

Thinking of the luxury and the soft sofa in Lynley's living room Winston was quick with a positive answer. If that would mean another couple of hours overtime then so be it. At least the meal probably would be paid by Lynley as always.

"Are you okay with it... Havers?" Thomas eyed his love very close. He saw how her mind worked and obviously they had the same thing in mind. Winston would be able to keep a secret and apart from that he deserved the truth. The looks the two exchanged sealed their decision to tell him tonight.

 _Maybe I should go ahead and open the door so Winnie would see I have my own key and come to his own solution?_ Barbara thought nodding her agreement. _Then we don't have to put us in the awkward situation of making an announcement out of the blue._

* * *

With that settled they packed their stuff. They had agreed on driving all together with the Inspector's car but when Winston had suggested he could share the cab back home with her - Lynley had said something generalising and short like "Taxi home will be expenses of course." - Barbara just answered "Hm, we'll see."

Obviously it was not as easy to reveal as they both had thought. Maybe they should think about that snogging-idea again so they would not have to _tell_.

Before they left the office Winnie called the Chinese delivery service and the man with their meals already waited at the door when they arrived at Lynley's house. Since it had not really settled in his mind that since the previous evening she had her own set Thomas tossed his keys at her and mumbled something about paying that man.

 _So much for waving my own keys..._ Barbara thought while she opened the door and Thomas paid the delivery man. _Filthily snogging really_ is _an option..._

Once inside Barbara tossed his keys into the basket on the small telephone table where they belonged and unceremoniously dropped her hand bag next to it like she always had done since she was Thomas' lover and especially since recently she had become quite familiar with his house. She discarded her shoes without thinking and left them lying a bit disorderly next to her ridiculously patterned Wellies which were standing next to Thomas' dark green ones. That is, she even accidentally overturned one of them. Tommy only moaned silently and rolled his eyes when he rearranged them but obviously Winnie did not notice anything strange. He just kept silent and hesitantly walked through the hall. He always had felt a bit out of place in that palace. Like Barbara once had.

Since she was the one carrying the food she went straight into Tommy's kitchen without a word, that meant without politely asking to go there and without asking for the direction or looking curious. And not at all hesitant like Winston behaved. Probably the _Detecive_ Constable had not registered any of her belongings or wondered about her accustomed behaviour because he even did not mention anything when he put his coat next to Barbara's on the hook where a second coat hung that definitely also was hers.

 _Hello?! Detective?! He must be tired..._

Thomas ushered his Constable into the living room where the latest novel by Elizabeth George laid on the table and it had a bookmark that was clearly not _his_. There also were some other little things that might indicate a female presence but not necessarily the presence of Barbara Havers. Anyway Winston was offered to sit down and the Inspector quickly followed that said woman into the kitchen. They had to share a private word.

* * *

Barbara stood at the worktop when Thomas snaked his arms around her waist from behind and she immediately turned into his embrace linking her hands in his nape.

"Winnie hadn't said anything about my stuff in your house." she whispered. Their foreheads gently bumped.

"Maybe he didn't notice it as yours?" His nose was brushing hers. "You know I have a reputation as a womani-"

Her lips were sealing his.

"No single bloody private second today." she sighed. "For nine solid hours! I've missed you." They shared another soft kiss.

"I've missed you too." He smiled. It was good to have her in his arms again though they really should be alone now. His bathtub came back into his mind.

"We're telling him tonight, aren't we?" A bit of anxiety flashed across her face.

"Yes, of course, I think we owe him that."

"Le's jus' wait fo' a good mom-mmmh..."

His lips which had been making it hard for her to speak now closed hers totally and demanded a deeper kiss. The odds were in their favour to be caught right now.

* * *

When Winston had taken care that there would be some space for their dishes on the coffee table he followed them into the kitchen. Unfortunately they had heard him coming so common sense tuned in and they had enough time to appear innocently arranging the food when he entered. Thomas cursed himself a coward but in the end his DC really did _not_ need to discover their secret by surprising them canoodling at the kitchen worktop. _Barbara probably would be dying on the spot._ Winston actually had not recognised anything. What was his profession again?

* * *

Actually they not only had worked a couple hours more, they had worked until half past twelve but in the end had come to a few promising theories. Thomas sat on the sofa, his feet on the coffee table, a notepad in his lap. Barbara in the other corner of that sofa had crossed her legs and sorted pictures of suspects, witnesses and victims stuck and laid splattered around her. Not on the sofa but on the equally luxuriously soft armchair Winston only had sipped at his tea for the last twenty minutes and had watched one of their famous conversations until Barbara yawned and stretched her arms.

"I'm done." he finally groaned. "I can't think straight anymore and if I drink another cup of that strong tea... You sure it isn't coffee?"

He could not know that it was the compromise between tea-drinking Lynley and coffee-addicted Havers. Agreeing to return to the office on the next morning later than usually they finally called it a day so together they went into the hall where Winston put on his coat. Barbara made not a single move to put her shoes back on and also leave when Thomas said good bye to Nkata.

"What about we share a taxi, Barb?" Winston asked ignoring the fact that she still was only in her socks. It only could be excused by tiredness.

"Oh, no, thanks, Winnie, but I'll stay." Barbara politely smiled.

"Alright. See you in the mornin' then, good night! Sir. Thanks for the comfortableness." He shook hands with the DI and left.

* * *

Thomas closed the door behind him and turned around to Barbara with a broad grin.

"He is blind. Or tired. Or he should take a major break, the 'Detective' Constable." She was grinning equally. "I thought we had wanted to tell him?"

"Oh, he'll be back. One one thousand... two one thousand..."

[ DING DONG ] his door bell went. Thomas cocked his head. "There he is. You want to open the door?"

She nodded, took a deep breath to steady herself and then opened the door with a bright smile.

Outside Winston shook his head in highly irritated disbelief. His face literally was a question mark. Something seemed to be dawning.

"Err...? You stay?!"

Before Barbara could answer Thomas appeared behind her and demonstratively placed his arm around her back and his possessive hand on her hip. Barbara slightly but visibly leant into him. Unconsciously her own arm snaked around his waist so the two stood there like a copybook couple. "You've forgotten something, Winston?" he asked.

"I, umm, ... you ..." Then he lost it. "What the heck?!"

Barbara inwardly jubilated. _Perfect!_ Now was the moment Nkata would be enlightened, the moment when she finally could share her secret with someone from her daily life, the moment when she finally could call her boss by his given name in the open. Well, at least, if not entirely public, in front of her friend and colleague Winnie she would. She turned to the meanwhile almost foolishly happy grinning man in her arm. Thomas obviously was equally glad to share his secret, to finally demonstrate that he loved his Sergeant.

"Well, it seems like DC Nkata needs one more tea. Would you please be so kind, Thomas? I think I owe him a story."

"Sure." He almost had called her Sweetie but that would have been a little too much and he knew Barbara would not like being addressed with that endearment in public. Thomas let go of her hip, bent down to her lips and gave her a brief kiss. One single kiss, almost incidental, quickly and as if the two would have been used to kiss until now, which in fact they were somehow, almost like a long partnered couple.

While Thomas was on his way to the kitchen Winston still stood there on the doormat like a pillar of salt. He was absolutely stunned.

Barbara patted his upper arm. "Come on in, Winnie, you could have something stronger than tea, if you want!"

* * *

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 **Author's note:** Thanks for reading, thanks for your reviews. It was fun to work out those three ideas of conversation (Land's End, Banana/Sweetie, Stay?!) that had been sleeping for a long while now! I'm happy you enjoyed reading them too!

Tess

Time for a commercial break ;-)


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